Readers' letters | Cummings column, firefighter pay, hospital bill

Astonished by Cummings

I am responding with astonishment to Brad Cummings' recent column about what he feels is failed leadership from President Obama.

President Obama's achievements have been amazing, despite the "just say no" Republican Party and a dysfunctional Congress under GOP "leadership." The word leadership simply does not exist in the GOP, except perhaps in leading the United States into war, debt, overwhelming grief, and a world-wide grimace from other democracies who have looked at the GOP with disdain since the George W. Bush days of war, debt and recession, disrespect, overwhelming grief and grimness.

Can you imagine going to work every day and facing the sourness and negativity around the likes of Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, who, by the way, now has the lowest approval rating of any U.S. senator in his or her own state? Let's really talk leadership, Mr. Cummings.

President Obama not only has restored our respect around the country and around the globe, he has saved us from sure depression and incredible despair. Has Mr. Cummings not yet, even now, gotten over the fact that Mr. Obama overwhelmingly won the last election?

I can easily see why Mr. Cummings is ex-chairperson of the Jefferson County Republican Party. No Republican has served as mayor in the Louisville area for many, many years. Mr. Obama won Jefferson County easily the last two presidential elections. And, let's not forget, Mr. Cummings, that Louisvillians elected Democrat Congressman John Yarmuth, finally running the do-nothing, area Republican Ann Northrup out of a job as our representative.

ROBERT J. WESTWOOD

Louisville 40222

Firefighter pay dispute

You got it right when you urged the city in last Sunday's editorial to end the long-running firefighters litigation. But you got it wrong when you praised Mayor Fischer for "work[ing] mightily to end the train wreck of [this] litigation." He has done no such thing. In the first months of his term, Mayor Fischer's administration paid a judgment after all appeals were exhausted. That is not a settlement, and it didn't conclude the other claims in the suit, some of which have now come to fruition.

What efforts had been made to resolve these remaining claims? Exactly and precisely none. As the attorney for the remaining litigants, I have repeatedly approached the city for a negotiated resolution and received no response from Mayor Fischer - ever. This administration is using the same playbook of its predecessors, and shame on them. Passing the buck to a subsequent administration to pay your employees what you owe them for work performed, and hazardous work at that, saves Mayor Fischer face but at the expense of the public-an expense now racking up interest at close to $1 million per year. Let's hope the Metro Council calls the mayor to task for the fiscal improvidence of the City's proven-to-be-wrong-by-13-years-of-losses strategy.

ANN OLDFATHER

Louisville 40208

High cost of living

In response to the May 9 headline regarding health care disparity, in March I went to University Hospital due to heart attack symptoms. I went there because it is three blocks from where I work. After some initial testing they admitted me at the insistence of the cardiology team for further testing (I wanted to leave and come back for the tests but they said I could not do that). After a couple nitro pills, EKGs, blood tests and a stress test, they said that my heart was OK and sent me home.

I have now received bills totaling over $21,000. I am 61 years old and my husband is 66 and on Social Security. If I work the rest of my life I will not be able to pay this off.

I don't know how much help the new health care laws are going to be, but something has to be done in this country to help the average American with health care. This is enough to give a person a heart attack!

PATRICIA LYONS

Louisville 40220

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Readers' letters | Cummings column, firefighter pay, hospital bill

I am responding with astonishment to Brad Cummings' recent column about what he feels is failed leadership from President Obama.